In Russia, the 2nd Western District Military Court sentenced lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov in absentia to 21 years in a strict-regime penal colony. He was accused of raising funds for the Ukrainian military and of several other charges related to “terrorism.”
A lawyer, Dmitry Zakhvatov, was sentenced in absentia in Russia. The 2nd Western District Military Court sentenced him to 21 years in a strict-regime penal colony in a case involving fundraising for soldiers fighting on Ukraine’s side. The human rights project “First Division” reported on the court’s decision on June 30.
Russian investigators brought several charges against Zakhatov. These include “facilitating terrorist activities,” “public calls for actions against state security,” “calls for terrorist activities,” and “public justification and propaganda of terrorism.” All of these charges stem from the fact that, according to the Russian authorities, the lawyer helped raise funds for the Ukrainian military.
The court sentenced Dmitry Zakhatov to 21 years in a strict-regime penal colony. According to the verdict, he must spend the first four years of this sentence in prison, after which he will serve the remainder of his sentence in the penal colony. In addition to the main sentence, the court also banned the lawyer from administering websites and online resources for four years. Upon his release, he was also sentenced to an additional one and a half years of restricted freedom.
The verdict was handed down in absentia, as Dmytro Zakhvatov is currently outside Russia. In recent years, Russian authorities have regularly issued in absentia verdicts against people who have left the country and openly support Ukraine or criticize the Russian leadership. Human rights defenders have repeatedly stated that charges of “terrorism,” “extremism,” and “activities against state security” in Russia are increasingly being used against opposition politicians, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and civil society activists.
In the case of Dmitry Zakhvatov, the Russian court cites his assistance to Ukrainian military personnel resisting Russian aggression as grounds for criminal prosecution. The lawyer himself publicly supported Ukraine after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. This was reported by the human rights project “First Division.”
Russia has filed a complaint with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding Ukrainian strikes on vessels of the so-called “shadow fleet.” Kyiv responded that such tankers cannot be considered ordinary civilian vessels, as they help Russia generate revenue for the war.
In Russia, lawyer sentenced in absentia to 21 years for assisting Ukrainian Armed Forces
